You could be forgiven to think that paying a small premium for bottled water ensures that you’re getting better quality water. At least better than the free stuff that comes out of the tap then think again.

A spokesperson for PepsiCo (the company that produce the bottled water “Aquafina”) recently made a statement. They confirmed that the water in their branded bottled water comes directly from the tap. However, they insist the tap water goes through an elaborate “filtration process”. A process that ensures it’s superior quality to tap water.

“Do you want to know a clever way to spot if the bottled water source is from the tap before you buy? Always look for the acronym P.W.S. on the bottle because this stands for Public Water System.”

Aquafina Water Ingredients

However, PepsiCo are doing urgent rounds of damage control. It started with an article by Inverse magazine. After this, PepsiCo put out a very indignant statement which sought to set the record straight.

The statement describes the many fancy filtration methods they use to transform tap water into Aquafina.

Now before you go thinking this is a one-off incident. It turns out that Coca-Cola’s own brand of bottled water called Dasani is also sourced from tap water or P.W.S.

Yes, they also claim to have a ‘rigorous’ and separate filtration protocol. The claim is that although the water originates from tap water. It is purified through a 7 step filtration process trade marked Hydro-7™.

Hydro-7™ is a water treatment process that involves everything from reverse osmosis as well as other filtering methods. This ensures that things like salts, chlorides, and other substances are removed to ensure the water has a good taste.

Aquafina Water Nutrition Facts

Information for 1 serving = 1 bottle, 473 ml (16floz)

Calories

0

Potassium

0 mg

Saturated

0 g

Iron

0 mg

Total Fat

0 g

Total Carbs

0 g

Monounsaturated

0 g

Dietary Fiber

0 g

Polyunsaturated

0 g

Sugars

0 g

Trans

0 g

Protein

0 g

Cholesterol

0 mg

Vitamin A

0%

Sodium

0%

Vitamin A

0%

Calcium

0%

*The percent values in this table are based on a 2000 a day calorie diet.

Bottled Water Cleanliness Standards Are Lower Than Tap Water?

Regardless of your thoughts about the quality of tap water, there are so many reasons to avoid drinking bottled water. For instance, the cost to the environment, risk of BPA contamination from the bottles etc and these are extensively covered in my article called, 8 Of The Best Bottled Water And Why They’re ALL Bad For You.

Also, did you know that there are lower standards concerning the cleanliness of bottled water than the cleanliness standards for tap water in the US and UK? This is according to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International study commissioned in 2013. The really worrying part was that the last study looking into the cleanliness of bottled water was carried out about 15 years ago…

…what if things have become worse since then?

If this point really needed to be driven home even further. Consider that the Natural Resources Defense Council found out in 1998 that although most bottled water was safe to drink there were a few samples that contained traces of chemicals or bacteria that exceeded industry and state standards.

So, Aquafina Water Ingredients = Tap Water? Oh Dear.

Aquafina water ingredients are filtered tap water.

Don’t get me wrong I don’t think Aquafina is bad for you. But I don’t consider tap water to be 100% perfect either.

As highlighted in my two thousand word essay looking at all the evidence on whether tap water was safe to drink or not.

I'm a health author, science enthusiast and 100% certified geek. My passion is to help you take control of your health and well-being by understanding the true importance of good quality water and healthy hydration.